PESHAWAR: To emphasize the importance of the Vaccination and Immunization and to observe World Immunization Week (24th – 30th April 2022) students of Social Welfare Society and faculty members of the Pak International Medical College (PIMC) Peshawar, arranged a declamation contest here on Wednesday.
The topic of the declamation contest was “Importance of Vaccination, addressing propaganda against Vaccination”. The contest was held with the support of the Health Department of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and UNICEF. PIMC’s Vice Principal Prof Dr Ghulam Sarwar was the Chief Guest of the contest.
Other notables present at the occasion were Prof Dr Mumtaz Khan, Prof Dr Muhammad Sheraz, Prof Dr Rab Nawaz Khattak, Representative from the Health Department and UNICEF. The contest was followed by a walk. According to a press release of the event, every year, 14 million infants and children globally do not receive any vaccines against preventable diseases.
Last year, COVID-19 pandemic has made this situation worse, as lockdowns and supply disruptions threaten an increase in preventable child deaths and reverse years of hard-won progress on routine immunizations around the world.
An alarming 23 million children worldwide missed out their vaccinations during 2020. This number can only be reduced through a greater commitment to and investment in immunization services by all.
World Immunization Week is commemorated during the month of April every year worldwide to emphasize the importance of a joint action to raise awareness of the value of vaccines and immunization to protect people of all ages against vaccine preventable diseases.
Theme for this year’s World Immunization Week is “Long Life for All”. The ultimate goal of World Immunization Week is that more people are protected from vaccine-preventable diseases.
The UN Sustainable Development Goal 3.2.1 envisions an end to preventable deaths of newborns. Between 2010 and 2018, 23 million deaths globally were prevented with measles vaccine alone.
Till now there are immense historic achievements of vaccinations across the globe. For over two centuries, vaccines have helped protect children and adults from serious and deadly diseases.
Vaccines are among the most advanced achievements of modern science, decreasing by half infant mortality and saving millions of lives throughout the world.
As one of the most cost-effective health interventions, WHO and UNICEF emphasize that vaccination is a cornerstone of universal health coverage and vital to achieving optimal health for all, everywhere.
Every opportunity should be sought to vaccinate children and adults as per the routine immunization calendar. All WHO pre-qualified vaccines are safe and efficient.
Khyber Pakhtunkhwa provides free vaccination for 12 vaccine-preventable diseases, including childhood TB, Polio, Diphtheria, Tetanus, Pertussis, Hepatitis B, HIB pneumonia, Meningitis, Typhoid, Rota-related diarrhea, Measles and rubella, which are administered through the EPI outreach and fixed centers across the province.
Vaccines are one of the most powerful tools to help children live and flourish. No child should miss routine immunization including polio drops, even during pandemics.
